1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a payment system, device and method. More specifically, the present invention is a system including a device that connects to a terminal to make a payment. The device has a scroll wheel for finding an account number within a memory and a button to authorize a transaction from that account.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Various electronic transaction devices exist that store multiple account information. There are also systems and methods involving those devices.
The below-referenced U.S. patents and published U.S. applications disclose embodiments that were at least in-part satisfactory for the purposes for which they were intended. The disclosures of all the below-referenced prior United States patents, and applications, in their entireties are hereby expressly incorporated by reference into the present application for purposes including, but not limited to, indicating the background of the present invention and illustrating the state of the art.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,590,038, 5,884,271, 6,925,439, and U.S. Pub. App. No. 2005/0247777 to Pitroda all disclose substantially the same invention. The invention is a universal electronic transaction card (“UET Card”) that is pocket-sized, stores a variety of credit cards and records all transactions that can be downloaded to a computer at a later time. These patents also disclose the use of storing a digital image of the user's signature to be used for verification purposes. These patents also disclose a device called a communication interface unit (“CIU”) that is needed for the UET Card to communicate with a computer or point of sale (“POS”) terminal. The CrU can interface with the UET Card via infrared or RF technologies.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,705,520 (hereinafter the '520 patent) and U.S. Pat. No. 6,769,607 to Pitroda et al. disclose a wireless adapter for POS card readers to be able to interface with various electronic transaction devices such as PDAs, and cell phones.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,905,072 to Ramachandran discloses a portable device that can be a key fob, has an LCD screen, and stores multiple credit card numbers and a digital image of a user's signature. The device further may have a wireless communication component that can send the image of the user's signature to a POS terminal.
U.S. Pub. App. No. 2002/0077974 to Ortiz discloses a hand-held device with an integral card reader and a touch screen display. As part of a transaction, a credit card is swiped through the reader and wirelessly sent to a wireless network. The user then signs the touch screen display on the device that is then wirelessly transmitted to the network to authorize the transaction.
U.S. Pub. App. No. 2003/0075610 to Ong discloses an electronic credit card (“ECC”) that can store multiple credit card account information and wirelessly transmit data to a number of receivers, including ATMs and supermarket POS terminals.
U.S. Pub. App. No. 2003/0158781 to Philip discloses an RF-based transponder device that takes the place of single credit card. When using the transponder in a transaction, a user points the transponder at a reader and types in a PIN number located on the transponder. The user still has to sign a traditional printed receipt however and nothing is disclosed about storing multiple credit card accounts.
What is needed therefore, is a device that includes the scroll wheel to select an account, and one or more buttons for user verification and authorization of a transaction. Furthermore, a method of using the device and a system utilizing the device is also needed.